Archive · 8 Nov 2025
Eight Cheetahs Captured in Botswana for India's Project Cheetah
Imagine some very fast animals, called cheetahs, used to live in India a long time ago, but they disappeared.
Now, people want to bring them back to help nature.
Recently, eight new cheetahs were found and captured in a country called Botswana.
These cheetahs are like a special present for India.
Before they come to India, they need to stay in a safe place for about a month to make sure they are healthy.
It's like a little vacation in quarantine.
They will then travel to a special park in India called Kuno National Park.
This is part of a big plan that started a couple of years ago, where cheetahs were also brought from other countries like Namibia and South Africa.
Some cheetah babies have even been born in India!
It's a big effort to bring these amazing animals back to their old home.
Eight cheetahs have been captured in Botswana for translocation to India's Kuno National Park.
This initiative is part of India's ongoing cheetah reintroduction program, aiming to restore the species after its extinction decades ago.
The captured cheetahs, including two males, will undergo a month-long quarantine and medical examinations before being flown to India.
A South African delegation visited Kuno National Park and Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary to review conservation efforts under Project Cheetah.
Since the project began, India has translocated cheetahs from Namibia and South Africa, and has seen cheetah cubs born on Indian soil, though several cheetahs have also died.
- Who
- Eight cheetahs, a senior forest official, Cheetah Project field director Uttam Sharma, and a South African delegation.
- What
- Eight cheetahs have been captured in Botswana for translocation to India's Kuno National Park as part of the cheetah reintroduction program. A South African delegation visited conservation sites in Madhya Pradesh.
- When
- The capture was announced on Friday. The cheetahs will undergo quarantine for about a month, with translocation likely in January. Previous translocations occurred in September 2022 and February 2023.
- Where
- Cheetahs captured in Botswana, to be relocated to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, India. A South African delegation visited Kuno National Park and Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary.
- Why
- To reintroduce cheetahs to India, where the species went extinct decades ago.
Project Timeline Uncertainty
Preparedness for Cheetah Arrival
Translocation Date
Project Timeline Uncertainty
A forest official expressed uncertainty about the exact date for flying the cheetahs to Kuno National Park, citing inter-continental translocation formalities and upcoming Christmas holidays, suggesting a January arrival is most probable.
Preparedness for Cheetah Arrival
Cheetah Project field director Uttam Sharma stated that enclosures and facilities are ready for the third batch of cheetahs, indicating preparedness for their arrival.
- Cheetahs Captured
- 8
- Origin
- Botswana
- Destination
- Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh, India
- Purpose
- Cheetah reintroduction program in India
- Previous Translocations
- 8 from Namibia (Sept 2022), 12 from South Africa (Feb 2023)
- Current Cheetah Population in India
- 27 (16 born on Indian soil)
- Cheetah Deaths Since Project Start
- 19
- Cubs Born in India
- 26